Mobile Devices

Moto X Engraving Won't Be Available at Launch Due to Quality Issues

It’s hard to believe that Google bought Motorola Mobility almost exactly two years ago. At the time of the acquisition, which cost Google $12.5 billion, there were predictions that the Android creator could stop relying on other manufacturers for Nexus devices altogether since it could now rely entirely on Motorola for all its hardware needs. And yet, there hasn’t been a Motorola-made Nexus yet.

That said, it does seem that Google has been affecting more influence over Motorola’s handset design, or at least that seems to be the sentiment regarding the Moto X, which will be available for purchase as of Friday.

To start with, the phone’s design is sleeker and less boxy than most Motorola devices but, more importantly, the ability to customize the Moto X to an unprecedented degree feels more like a Google move than a Motorola one. Of course, this is purely speculation.

Meanwhile, Google is apparently ready to drop big bucks in marketing the new phone, with some reports suggesting upwards of $500 million being allocated to this purpose.

Either way, the Moto X’s customization options are definitely being touted as its top feature, which is why it came as a surprise that these options would be somewhat limited at launch. Initially, Motorola touted the ability to customize the color and build material of the Moto X, as well as an engraving option. However, it seems the latter won’t be available right away.

A Motorola spokesperson recently confirmed this, stating that the quality of the engraving wasn’t up to Motorola standards for a consumer product. As for when this option would become available, it’s currently unclear with phrases including “soon” and “in the near future” being thrown around.

Still, unless you were planning to propose with a custom-engraved Moto X, it’s unlikely this will affect initial sales much.